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Paint the New Century Faster and EasierPosted 2/12/2000By Curt Harler
Paint manufacturers are giving painters a peek at the 21st century spray booth. And the view includes simpler, faster and easier-to-use products. "We won't release a new product unless it meets one of two criteria," says Ed Zenner, product manager for PPG's Deltron/Global lines, Strongsville, Ohio. "It either has to take a step out of the process, or speed the process up." PPG and other major paint manufacturers have made great strides in both areas, formulating new product for primers, undercoats and clearcoats. The recently introduced Ultra Productive Undercoat System from DuPont, Wilmington, Del., handles any type of undercoat repair with just four products, and it offers the most productive 2K (two component) primers on the market. The four products are Ultra Productive Primer Filler (with ValueShade if desired); Ultra Productive Primer Sealer with ValueShade; 4150S, which is a 2K Flexible Additive for Sealer and Filler; and Common Activators for Sealer and Filler- 4075S or 4095S. Ultra Productive Primer Filler is available in 4001S White, 4004S Medium Gray, and 4007S Dark Gray. It is nib sandable after just one hour air dry. The new Primer-Filler is easy to use. Simply combine 4004S (VS 4), for example, with 4075S Activator for temperatures of 65 to 80 degrees F, or 4095S Activator for 80 to 95 degrees F. The mix ratio is 4:1. The Primer Filler can be used over any properly prepared substrate. It delivers outstanding fill and holdout, and it sands easily. Combined with an incredibly fast dry time, these attributes make it highly productive. At 4.5 lbs./gal. VOC, which is compliant with the National Rule regulations, the Primer-Filler can be used for spot repairs to deliver maximum fill. For smooth flow and leveling, it can be reduced to 4.8 VOC with ChromaSystem or ChromaPremier reducers. Ultra Productive Primer Sealer is available in 4810S (ValueShade-1), 4840S (VS-4), and 4870S (VS-7). It too is easy to use. Simply combine 4840S, for example, with 4075S or 4095S Activator, depending on the temperature. Like the Primer-Filler, mix ratio is 4:1. Scott Hardison, a painter at Leadership Ford, Dallas, Texas, finds the new Primer Sealer enhances topcoat appearance. "It lays down really flat, with no orange peel," he says, "and that makes topcoats look a lot better." He dries the sealer in a lightning-fast five minutes at 140 degrees F in the shop's downdraft booth. Air dry time is about 30 minutes. Scott says the sealer is especially effective in filling in any primer sand scratches. "Paints today are so sensitive that they tend to pull any scratches up to the surface," he explains. "But Ultra Productive fills in those 400 and 500 grit scratches." In Scottsdale, Ariz., Tim Butkus had similar results. "After a 10-minute dry, I can hit it with the paint," he says. The painter at Scott Toyota, he adds, "And the holdout is real good." He likes the handling characteristics of the Ultra-Productive Primer Filler. "It sprays out nice, with very little overspray, and it's easy to control. If you do get dirt in it, it's easy to sand them out." He also likes the fact that there is a common activator for both the primer filler and primer sealer.
Basecoat BASF says Limco 4 can match about 20,000 colors, although Tony Dyach, product manager, notes, "The technical requirements for combining performance, durability and low-cost in a basecoat are more restrictive than those for single-stage." So, the material can not be mixed in a variety of paint technologies (unlike 1-2-3). In addition, two new accessory products, Limco LC4000 Clear and 700K 2K urethane primer, now are available. The LC4000 is required for the new Limco 4 basecoat but can be used as a general-purpose, low-price clear, as well. It is mixed at 5:1.
New Primers Transtar Autobody Technologies, Brighton, Mich., brought out an isocyanate-free primer. Their 2K Iso-Free product is a two-component primer surfacer that contains no isocyanates. Not only is it environmentally friendly, but it is quick-drying and easy to sand wet or dry. The primer itself is available in quart or gallon sizes, and the activator in quart or half-pints. It should be applied over a properly sanded surface in two to three medium wet coats, allowing five to 10 minutes flash time between coats. 2K Iso-Free can be topcoated with single-stage topcoats, base or clear coats, and related products. PPG announced its UniPrime DTM (direct to metal), an isocyanate-free, 3.5 VOC primer surfacer designed for use with the company's Global Refinish System. To that end, the Strongsville, Ohio-based group just brought out its UniPrime DTM, a direct-to-metal primer. It is a new two-pack surface primer that can be applied directly to sanded aluminum, galvanized steel or cold-rolled steel without a pre-treatment or wash primer applications. "It takes one or two steps out of the process," Zenner notes. In addition, it comes in six colors, allowing matching to 36 top coats by using the mixing formulas on the back of the swatch deck. It is similar to Akzo-Nobel's Color Build. "We were first with it, several years ago," says Akzo-Nobel spokesperson Lisa Boughner. Color Build comes with white, red, blue, green, yellow and black primer. When mixed, these systems produce a primer that approximates the most popular topcoat colors. The material can be used either as a primer surfacer or wet-on-wet primer sealer. The Norcross, Ga., firm also offers the Sikkens Simple System for spot repairs, designed to put more cars through the booth every day, without buffing. In addition to increasing productivity, the system requires stocking only one clear- Autoclear II- for every car that goes through your shop. Shops get that increase in productivity without sacrificing gloss, durability or appearance. The new 421-20 SelectPrime Primer-Surfacer from DuPont is designed for superior holdout and hiding, fast dry productivity, free and easy sanding, and minimal shrinkage. The 496-00 SelectClear Clearcoat provides maximum gloss, fast dry time, sharp DOI, and smooth, easy application. When combined with properly applied base coat or single-stage colors the two products make an easy-to-use team. When working with 421-20, the surface is prepared by sanding and featheredging with P180 grit paper, followed by P240. The primer should be stirred or shaken thoroughly to ensure a uniform mixture. Activation ratio is 4:1, requiring four parts 421-20 with one part 483-83. The pot life is 45 minutes. The recommended application is three medium wet coats with conventional air pressure- in the range of 30 to 40 psi at the gun. HVLP pressure should be 6 to 8 psi at the gun cap. To dry, flash between coats for five to 10 minutes, then air dry for two to three hours at 70 degrees F. For force drying, heat for 30 minutes at 140 degrees F after 10 minutes flash time. The manufacturer recommends finish sanding with P400 grit D/A, P500 grit dry or P600 grit wet by hand, or finer, before sealer or topcoat. For the 496-00 clearcoat, activation ratio is 4 to 1. Mix four parts 496-00 with one part 483-78 (or 483-79 high temp activator). Recommended application is for two medium wet coats with conventional air pressure set at 30-40 psi or HVLP at 8-10 psi. Flash between coats for five to 10 minutes. It can be forced dried for 30 minutes at 140 degrees F after 10 minutes flash time. Wait two to three hours before buffing if force dried. Wait six to 10 hours at 70 degrees F if the vehicle is air dried. When buffing, use 1500 grit or finer paper. Then polish with medium duty compound and finish with a soft polishing pad to remove any swirl marks.
Clearcoats Over properly applied base coat and single-stage colors, 466-00 dries dust-free in 45 minutes to an hour. It is tack free in four hours and dry to tape overnight. It can be force dried at 120 degrees F for 30 minutes or 140 degrees F for 20 minutes. It can then be buffed after three hours. Transtar will sell a line of low-VOC clearcoats that are compatible with most solvent and waterborne basecoats. Their 2.1 Low VOC Clearcoat is an acrylic urethane that is compliant with California's Rule 1151. Mixed at 4:1, it offers a high gloss and superior finish when either air dried or force-dried. The company also offers a 3.5 Low VOC Clearcoat, mixed 2:1, and designed for high productivity applications. It has 54 percent solids (vs. 33 percent for the 2.1 Clearcoat) and will show well with only two-coat coverage. Look for more improvements in the materials offered from paint companies as the new millennium ticks on. "We don't want to telegraph specifics to our competitors, or even the customers," notes Zenner. He could be speaking for all the companies; however, expect improvements from each of the manufacturers, ranging from primers to finishes to new systems- all focused on making the painter's life easier and more profitable. Curt Harler is a freelance writer based in Strongsville, Ohio. Paint Industry Takes On A New Color Join the ranks of the confused if you're still not sure which paint company owns which former competitor. 1999 was a busy year for mergers and acquisitions. The short version is that the former American Standox, Mason and Spies-Hecker were bought by DuPont, and ICI Autocolor was bought by PPG. In late October, DuPont announced it would acquire Herberts GmbH, the coatings company of Hoechst AG. The acquisition, pending government approvals, would create the world's third largest coatings company and the leading automotive coatings supplier with combined sales of $3.7 billion. "This acquisition is consistent with DuPont's intent to establish global leadership positions in our core businesses through selective investments that capitalize on attractive cost positions and technology synergies," says Charles O. Holliday, Jr., DuPont president and chief executive officer. "The Herberts acquisition will enable our automotive coatings business to increase its contribution to shareholder value." "The fit between Herberts' and DuPont's automotive coatings businesses is exceptional," says Louis F. Savelli, president of DuPont Automotive. "The merger of complementary assets, technology and regional market strengths will create a much stronger business that can grow profitably and better serve customer needs on a global basis." Each company has developed new technology in environmentally acceptable products such as low-emission waterborne and powder coatings as well as products that contain no hazardous air pollutants. Concurrently, research continues to develop more durable coatings that resist scratches and acid-etch environmental damage. PPG Industries, Pittsburgh, Pa., announced at the end of April that it would acquire ICI Autocolor, in addition to Imperial Chemical Industries' refinish coatings and industrial coatings businesses, for $684 million. "This acquisition will strengthen PPG's multi-brand strategy in support of global automotive refinish customers," says Douglas C. Hepper, PPG's general manager of refinishes. He noted that customers will see a broader range of familiar brands and coatings technologies, including waterborne, and a broader support infrastructure. The PPG-ICI deal also included purchase of the Grow Automotive solvent business. Grow has plants in Detroit and Baton Rouge, La. The solvents are used to flush and clean paint-spray equipment and to reduce solvents to complete final paint formulations. "We are still in the process of integrating and restructuring the companies," says PPG's Ed Zenner. That might not be the end of the mergers, however. Several industry observers feel that there may be further consolidation of paint companies. "There is probably room for one more merger within the five major players," agrees Mike Cash, vice president at Sherwin Williams. In fact, Sherwin Williams could be one of the next companies to look for a partner. BASF and Akzo-Nobel also are mentioned in the merger game and may be looking at one another for a consolidation. Akzo recently completed deals on the corporate level, but has done nothing in the North American car finish business. Meanwhile, nobody is ruling out DuPont or PPG adding another company to their portfolio. Tomorrow's Color Trends DuPont Herberts Automotive Systems has issued its 1999 exterior color popularity data, used as a baseline for determining the vehicle color trends four to six years in advance of production. The company measures exterior vehicle color popularity in four segments- luxury, full/intermediate, sport/compact and SUV/truck/van. DuPont's 48th annual color popularity survey reflects the emergence of "techno-colors," such as silver, along with nature-based colors, including warm browns and cool blues. The emotional impact of black and traditional primary colors such as red is also expected to remain strong. White retained dominance in the full/intermediate and sport-utility vehicle/truck/van segments. The popularity of white was bolstered by pearlescent effects that produced a silky luminance, especially in the luxury vehicle segment where white recaptured the top ranking from light beige metallic. As DuPont predicted last year, silver made the most significant gains in popularity with North American consumers in 1999. Most notably, silver leaped from fourth place to first in the sport/compact category, attracting 16.2 percent of consumers, and rose to second place in the luxury and full/intermediate car categories. Green, which has been in the top spot for the past four years, declined in every category except the SUV/truck/van segment, where it gained in popularity by 3.8 percent to rank third behind white and black. The most popular color in Europe, blue gained popularity in North America, particularly in the sport/compact and SUV/truck/van segments. Company officials said improved coatings technology, especially in more durable clearcoats, continues to open the door for a wider range of color choices. For example, DuPont has introduced an entire palette of tinted silvers, ranging from icy/cool bluish tones to warmer, more golden shades. DuPont develops its analysis from its business interests in automotive, fashion apparel, home furnishings and graphic arts throughout the world. According to DuPont fashion director Roseann Forde, the shift toward blues and metallics reflects a growing emphasis on ingenuity and creativity. "Cool hues and colors such as blue reflect a balance between a desire to be button-down while staying true to creative passions," said Forde. "We are seeing an explosion of new color choices that advances in technology are making possible, which also mirrors a growing number of product choices that science is giving consumers every day. "Looking ahead, the hot colors of the first years of the new millennium will continue to reflect a trust in technology, but also convey a financial optimism. Silver is hot right now, but in the future, look for shades of gold to seize a growing share of market. Gold shows a sense of grandeur and prosperity, relating to a luxurious lifestyle that people want." There is no "sure-fire" way to explain how color affects consumers' buying habits because individual car buyers have unique tastes. However, there is no doubt color is important. Nearly 40 percent of U.S. consumers will switch vehicle brands if they can't get their color of choice, according to a study by national polling firm Yankelovich & Partners.
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